A Performance Most Musicians Can Only Dream Of - Hurts Enjoy Their Most Triumphant Moment
“Hello Brixton,” Theo beams, at what could well be the greatest performance of Hurts' career. “By the end of this gig, I want you all to have lost your voice.”
It was five years ago when I first saw Hurts live. It was 2011 and Theo and Adam barely looked at the crowd, let alone moved. The only movement was in Theo’s hands: slowly, seductively, they’d caress the microphone stand. At the time the mysterious aloofness worked: it fit the time, it fit the sound, and it fit how hurts made their first ripples in the music world. A glorious juxtaposition: an album called 'Happiness', and a band with anything but.
Then came the jumping in Manchester 2013 which coincided perfectly with the release of their second album, 'Exile' – a more outspoken, bolder record but still tinged with the darkness they portray so well. For a couple of tours there was even rock star attitude – during their crushingly bleak song "Evelyn", Theo would smash his microphone stand until it was no more than a mangled mess of mental.
Theo and Adam have always, fundamentally, been a two piece band with very little prominence from others. For a while, they dropped opera singer Richard Sidaway into the mix, experimenting with the theatrics; sometimes they hired a few ballet dancers to add a bit of interest to the stage dynamics; heck, they’ve even invited pop princess Kylie Minogue up on stage; but, vitally, it has just been the two of them. And for a while, that was enough. Until last night.
It started with a sheer curtain and smoke, creating the illusive scenery Hurts fit so well in. But, bit by bit, like the fitting metaphor it was, the smoke cleared and revealed a totally new Hurts dynamic. Elevated on a secondary stage, caged in metal cubes, stand proudly a fully-fledged band. There was the drummer, the guitarist that looked like he could have been Hurts’ third member, the two backing singers with their huge smiles and exaggerated dancing, and finally a keyboardist on the right. It was perfect. Exactly the right balance between old and new, expected and unexpected.
In fact, this should have been an instant warning that this gig would not be the same as any one prior. Some Kind of Heaven kicked off the evening, an unashamedly plastic-y pop belter – perhaps it’s Hurts close friendship with Calvin Harris, maybe it was the taste of number one success with their ‘Under Control’ collaboration, but this is distinctly different from previous Hurts material. Roll on Miracle and Why, and you’d be forgiven for thinking Hurts had taken some kind of happy pill because, with a couple of jumps into the crowd, some questionable dance moves and their constantly widening grins, this is a band evolved.
The thing with Hurts fans is they’re completely and utterly loyal to the band, and, like devoted parents, they love each album like their children: equally. The set-list reflected this: 2009 nostalgia, 2016 excitement, and the perfect balance between happiness and sadness. A twinkling sea of phone flashlights lit the scene for Illuminated, some clumsy jumping for "Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us" and of course, every good concert has a sad love song - "Stay", naturally - complete with some swaying.
The stiff suit from 2010 has slowly but surely evolved to the more relaxed trousers and lose white shirt, rolled up scruffily and unbuttoned to reveal a small patch of chest hair, Theo’s combed back hair now lets a few pieces fall forward.
Everything about the band is more relaxed, from the hips gyrating movements to the flirty eye contact with the crowd: finally, the band aren’t taking themselves so seriously. The sharp injection of energy has pushed Hurts to their full capability – seven years on, they’ve grasped their potential and the formula has been perfected. And this is what makes Hurts’ performance at Brixton Academy an artistic triumph, a pivotal turn and, predominantly, a magical moment.
COMMENTS
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Beautifully described and I especially enjoyed the fact that you added a healthy amount of band background and recent updates for anyone unaware of the band (such as myself), to be able to really grasp where the bands directions have been focused.
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It was indeed their finest moment; definitely a night to remember and far surpassed what I was expecting of the evening (which was no mean feat as I hoped for greatness!)
